In-situ foam core vehicle seating system and method of manufacture

1. A seating system for use with a vehicle having a seat with an H point plane, the system comprising:

a seat back having a skin having a thermal bond to an in-situ foam core, wherein the first seat component maximum displacement is less than 160 mm when tested according to a test method in an ECE R17 regulation for luggage retention with a 20 times the force of gravity crash pulse;

wherein the seat back deformation beyond the seat's H point plane is being a maximum of less than 30 mm relative to a test's H point plane maximum deformation when tested according to the ECE R17 regulation for luggage retention with a 20 times the force of gravity crash pulse.

2. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein the seat back deceleration measured according to a method of FMVSS202A deceleration energy absorption analysis E is 95% complete within 80 ms.

3. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein the seat back deceleration measured according to a method of FMVSS202A deceleration energy absorption analysis E is 95% complete within 60 ms.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seat back deceleration according to a method of FMVSS202A deceleration energy absorption analysis E is 95% complete within 70 ms.

5. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises a thermoplastic plastic material and forms a cavity into which the in-situ foam core is formed.

6. The seating system of claim 5 , wherein the in-situ foam core comprises a pre-expanded polymer beads disposed within the internal cavity and heated in place with hot gas so that the pre-expanded beads bond to one another and to the skin forming a thermal bond.

7. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the pre-expanded polymer beads are made of a metallocene polypropylene.

8. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the in-situ foam core has a density after expansion of 2 lb./ft 3 to 9 lb./ft 3 .

9. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the pre-expanded polymer beads are made of a material selected from the group of polypropylene and polyethylene.

10. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the pre-expanded polymer beads are made of a material having a composition similar to that of the thermoplastic plastic shell.

11. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the skin has a thickness within the range of 0.025 to 0.100 inches.

12. The seating system of claim 6 , wherein the in-situ foam core has a density after expansion of 1 lb./ft 3 to 5 lb./ft 3 .